Come down a mountain and your body knows exactly what it wants: **fire, meat and something that makes your tongue tingle.** That evening I climbed [Hoamsan](/en/topics/mountains/hoamsan) at sunset, looked down at Seoul's lights from the summit rocks, and came down past Hoapsa temple. Then I headed straight to Wongok-dong in Ansan, to a place with a big red sign: **Qingdao Malatang Yangkkochi** (칭다오 마라탕 양꼬치). Short version: everything I ate that night was good. **In three lines**: **the lamb skewers are thick and fresh.** The mapo tofu rice is numbingly good, and the onmyeon is seriously hearty. After a hike, it all tastes twice as good. ## A red sign in Wongok-dong

The lit storefront with a sign reading Qingdao in red and malatang yangkkochi in yellow — Qingdao in red, malatang yangkkochi in yellow. You can spot it from down the street.

Wongok-dong in Ansan is the neighborhood where restaurants from all over the world sit side by side. On its streets, **칭다오** (Qingdao) hangs in big red letters and **마라탕 양꼬치** (malatang, lamb skewers) in yellow. A small plate next to it reads "칭다오양꼬치 별관": the Qingdao Yangkkochi annex.

A clean dining room with a copper exhaust duct hanging over each table — An exhaust duct over every table. Grill away, no smoke in your face.

## Side dishes, then the skewers

Bean sprouts, roasted peanuts and pickles on a marble table — Bean sprouts, peanuts and pickles to keep your hands busy while you wait.

Sit down and out come bean sprouts, roasted peanuts and pickles. Then the skewers arrive.

A plate of lamb skewers and red marinated skewers beside bean sprouts and side dishes — Before the grill. The size of the meat says it all.

My first thought on seeing them: **thick.** These aren't thin scraps threaded on a stick. Each piece is chunky and brightly colored. You can see the meat is fresh. ## Skewers that turn themselves over charcoal

Lamb and marinated skewers cooking on a self-rotating grill over glowing charcoal — A self-turning grill over charcoal. The skewers do the work.

Hang the skewers on the table's charcoal grill and **they rotate on their own.** You don't lift a finger and every side cooks evenly. Watching fat drip onto the glowing coals while the meat turns golden is enough to make you hungry.

A row of skewers turning on the grill under the copper duct — A row of skewers cooking under the duct.

A small mound of orange cumin spice mix on a white plate — The lamb skewer's best friend: cumin spice mix.

Dip a finished skewer in the **cumin spice mix** and take a bite. The outside is smoky and savory, the inside thick enough to stay juicy. The meat is fresh, so it tastes clean. That is the whole secret of the lamb here: **thick and fresh.** ## Numbing mapo tofu rice

Red mapo tofu on a white plate with skewers on the grill behind — Fiery red mapo tofu. Your tongue starts tingling from the first bite.

Skewers alone would be a shame. The **mapo tofu rice** makes your tongue **tingle** from the first spoonful, then the softness of the tofu and the depth of the sauce follow. It is spicy and numbing, and you still can't put the spoon down. A spoonful between skewers is the perfect rhythm. ## A seriously hearty onmyeon

A bowl of onmyeon: noodles and bok choy in red broth, with a plate of cumin spice beside it — Noodles and bok choy in red broth. Called onmyeon, tastes substantial.

Last came the **onmyeon**, a hot noodle soup: noodles and bok choy in a red broth. Lift the noodles and they're bouncy; the broth is rich. In a word, **seriously hearty.** After all that grilled meat, a hot broth to finish leaves you properly full. ## After the mountain, lamb skewers Honestly, the hike probably made it taste even better. A rocky climb at sunset, then charcoal lamb skewers, numbing mapo tofu and hot noodles. The day started on a mountain and was **completed with lamb skewers.** ## Menu and prices From the menu. It notes that **skewers are ordered for two people or more.** | Menu | Price | | --- | --- | | **Lamb skewers** (yangkkochi) | **8,000 won (5) / 15,000 won (10)** | | Mala skewers | 9,000 won (5) / 17,000 won (10) | | Lamb rib meat · Beef rib meat skewers | 9,000 won (5) / 18,000 won (10) each | | Mala rib skewers | 9,000 won (5) / 18,000 won (10) | | Skewer set | 30,000 won | | **Corn noodle soup (温面)** · Spicy corn noodles · Cold corn noodles | 7,000 won each | | Egg fried rice · Eggplant fried rice | 7,000 won each | | Egg fried noodles | 8,000 won | | Sundae (blood sausage) | 12,000 won | | Premium lamb ribs | 30,000 won | | Boneless lamb ribs · Lamb rack (500 g) | 40,000 won each | | Roast leg of lamb | 85,000 won | The **onmyeon** I had is listed on the menu as **corn noodle soup (옥수수면, 温面)**. There is also a long list of other skewers, from shrimp, squid and chicken wings to king oyster mushroom and dried tofu, plus grilled sides like eggplant and toast. ## Visitor info 📍 **Qingdao Malatang Yangkkochi** (칭다오 마라탕 양꼬치) · Wongok-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do - ☎️ **Phone**: 031-493-9671 (the number on the "Qingdao Yangkkochi annex" sign) - 🍢 **Order**: lamb skewers, mapo tofu rice, onmyeon - 🔥 **Highlight**: a self-turning charcoal grill at every table - 🗺️ **Map**: [Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=37.33213%2C126.786805) - ⛰️ **Pair it with**: [my Hoamsan hike](/en/topics/mountains/hoamsan) Prices are from the menu during my visit in October 2026. Please call ahead to check opening hours. ## Jayden's verdict > After the mountain, lamb skewers. One thick, fresh skewer and the whole descent melts away. - **Lamb skewers**: ★★★★★ - **Mapo tofu rice**: ★★★★★ - **Onmyeon**: ★★★★★ - **Would I go back?**: Yes. This is where the next post-hike dinner happens.

Qingdao Malatang Yangkkochi, Ansan: Thick Lamb Skewers After Hoamsan

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